VERITAS: THE QUEST
1X13: UNTITLED (RING OF TRUTH)
[UNAIRED IN U.S.]
AIR DATE IN SOUTH AFRICA: 07/25/2003
TRANSCRIBED FROM SABC-1
Written by PATRICK MASSETT and JOHN ZINMAN
Directed by LARRY SHAW
Transcript by Intrepid
Courtesy of http://www.webphilia.com/~anthology/wnp.html
Please do not archive this transcript without permission from the
Transcriptionist
==========================
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==========================
SUMMARY: At the Benefactor's request, Solomon must find the Fabled Ring of
Truth before Dorna does. Meanwhile, Calvin, is having problems with his
wavering Faith in Veritas.
==========================
VERITAS: THE QUEST
1X13: UNTITLED (RING OF TRUTH) [UNAIRED IN US]
==========================
COLD OPEN:
NARRATOR: Previously on Veritas: The Quest
[Scene from 1X01: The Pilot]
(SOLOMON looks at the computer monitor.)
SOLOMON: Haley? (pause) You got it?
(On the monitor, HALEY and NIKKO look back at SOLOMON. HALEY smiles and nods.)
HALEY CAYCE: (from monitor) We're at the site.
CUT TO:
[Scene from 1X01: The Pilot]
(HALEY looks out in front of her. Her face reflects the light as it starts to
glow.)
(Cut to: HALEY stands in front of the wall with the sun symbol on it, her hand
still on the sun center where she pressed. The center of the symbol glows
brightly, it's light growing brighter and brighter till it completely engulfs
HALEY.)
(NIKKO turns around and sees his mom and the light. He starts running back to
her.)
YOUNG NIKKO: Mom!
(Suddenly a beam of light fires from the center of the sun symbol straight
toward HALEY.)
DE MOLAY: (v.o.) We all have to make sacrifices
CUT TO:
[Scene from 1X11: The Lost Codex.]
(In the BENEFACTOR'S CASTLE in Switzerland, VINCENT has a talk with the
BENEFACTOR about NIKKO.)
DE MOLAY: Haley understood this.
CUT TO:
[Scene from 1X01: Pilot]
(Ext. Night. TOLLAN talks with the GREY MAN.)
TOLLAN: We've been at this game for a thousand years.
CUT TO:
[Scene from 1X11: The Lost Codex]
(Int. Hotel Room - Day.)
NIKKO: You mean to tell me Dorna's been around this long?
[Scene from 1X11: The Lost Codex]
(Int. The BENEFACTOR'S CASTLE in Switzerland. VINCENT talks to deMOLAY about
SOLOMON.)
VINCENT: That's why you can tell him the truth as well.
DE MOLAY: That I'm not only Veritas' Benefactor, but also a high-ranking member
of Dorna?
CUT TO:
[Scene from 1X04: Heist]
(NIKKO catches VINCENT talking with TOLLAN.)
NIKKO: Why are you selling out my dad?
VINCENT: Sorry, kid.
CUT TO:
[Scene from 1X11: The Lost Codex]
(Int. The BENEFACTOR'S CASTLE in Switzerland. VINCENT talks to deMOLAY.)
VINCENT: You've shared your secret with me.
DE MOLAY: You're the only person who had more to lose than I do ... if the
truth gets out.
HARD CUT TO
END OF PREVIOUSLY ON
BLUR IN.
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION]
(Camera opens on a chess stop clock. Both sides of the clocks are on 1:55. A
hand shoots out and stops the clock on the right side.)
(NIKKO moves his white pawn forward.)
(VINCENT and NIKKO sit in a room on opposite sides of the chessboard. It's a
fast and furious game.)
(VINCENT moves his black piece forward and stops the clock.)
(NIKKO moves his white knight out and stops the clock.)
(VINCENT counters by bringing out his black knight. He stops the clock.)
(NIKKO moves; VINCENT moves, then NIKKO moves again taking one of VINCENT'S
pieces. He hits the clock and looks at VINCENT when the conversation starts.)
VINCENT: The last stand battle was fought valiantly by the Holy [?] of [?].
(Cut to: KNIGHTS in silver armour fight; their swords clanging upon contact.
The sounds of war in the background.)
(Resume to THE CHESS GAME.)
(NIKKO moves his piece and takes VINCENT'S bishop. He holds it up to VINCENT
and smiles.)
NIKKO: Good guys are always outmatched, otherwise, what's the point?
(He hits the stop clock.)
(Cut to: THE KNIGHTS in shining armor continue to fight.)
(Resume to THE CHESS GAME.)
(VINCENT glances at NIKKO and makes his move.)
VINCENT: The soldiers fought bravely, but to no avail.
(VINCENT castles, switching his king with the rook. He hits the stop clock.)
(Cut to: The KNIGHTS in their armor fighting. KNIGHTS on horses ride by and
join the fight.)
(Resume to THE CHESS GAME.)
(VINCENT moves and takes NIKKO'S Bishop. He holds the piece up to NIKKO.)
VINCENT: Instead, even the gods would abandon them on that fateful day.
[SIDE PROFILE: NIKKO]
NIKKO: You know, you talk a lot for a guy who doesn't say much.
[SIDE PROFILE: VINCENT]
VINCENT: (counters) The trick is to say everything without talking at all.
(VINCENT moves his knight forward.)
VINCENT: Check.
(He hits the stop clock.)
(Cut to: The KNIGHTS fighting each other continue.)
(Resume to THE CHESS GAME.)
(NIKKO moves his king out of the way.)
(Cut to: The KNIGHTS fighting each other continue.)
(Resume to THE CHESS GAME.)
(VINCENT moves his Knight forward to corner NIKKO'S king.)
(Cut to: The KNIGHTS fighting each other continue.)
(Resume to THE CHESS GAME.)
VINCENT: The defenders fought fearlessly, but they were overwhelmed by the
conquering knights.
(The camera shows one black knight on the chess board, then the other black
knight. Inbetween the two knights is the white king.)
(Cut to: An armored KNIGHT on a white horse rides forward.)
(Resume to NIKKO.)
(NIKKO glances down at his chess piece.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(Cut to: The KNIGHT on the white horse approaches a single warrior holding a
shield and standing alone.
(Cut to: A front view of the KING waiting for the KNIGHT to approach him.)
(Cut to: A close up of the white KING on the chess board. NIKKO reaches out.)
(Cut to: The KNIGHT on the white horse approaches closer to the KING. The
KNIGHT swings his sword.)
(Cut to: NIKKO reaches up to the white KING and tips the piece over.)
(Cut to: The KING bows his head waiting for judgment. The KNIGHT'S sword
swings.)
(Cut to: The white KING chess piece tips over.)
(Cut to: The white flag with the red cross tips over.)
(Cut to: The white KING chess piece hits the chess board.)
(Cut to: The white flag with the red cross falls to the ground.)
CUT TO CHESS GAME:
VINCENT: The battle was over.
(With the game over, VINCENT stands up to leave. NIKKO stops him.)
NIKKO: But the war had just begun. (lightly) C'mon, let's play again.
(VINCENT turns around at NIKKO, just a little surprised by the invite. He
slowly settles down back into his seat.)
VINCENT: You don't have a video game to kill somewhere?
NIKKO: What? You afraid of getting whooped?
VINCENT: (repeats) Whooped.
NIKKO: Stopped. Creamed. Taken to the cleaners. You know.
(No way.)
VINCENT: (settles in his seat) Set 'em up boy!
NIKKO: All right!
(Camera pulls back on a side view of NIKKO and VINCENT as they set the chess
board up for another game.)
CUT TO:
[CLOSE UP: THE WHITE ROOK]
DISSOLVE TO:
[INT. THE CASTLE -- 1126 -- DAY]
LEGEND:
CHATEAU RENE,
FRENCH PYRENEES-1126 A.D.
(THE FIRST KNIGHT walks briskly through the darkened hallways. He leans both
palms of his hands against the large wooden doors and pushes them open. He
walks into the Great Room. Inside, the KING and his son turn around toward
him.)
FIRST KNIGHT: {name}!
KING: What news?
FIRST KNIGHT: (grimly) Our forces will fall by daylight. The enemy is but two
hours march off.
(The KING turns around and walks to the far end of the room where he takes out a
map from its storage container. His son watches him carefully.)
FIRST KNIGHT: I fear that if we do not act now, the location of the castle will
be discovered.
KING: Our secrets must be protected.
(The KING rolls the map out flat on the table. He takes a sharp knife and cuts
it into two pieces. His son watches in dismay. He hastily rolls one half of
the map and stuffs it into a case. He hands it to the FIRST KNIGHT.)
KING: You will ride to the east. Swear that you will protect this map with
your life and the holy honor.
FIRST KNIGHT: Until my death.
(The FIRST KNIGHT leaves the chamber. The KING turns around and rolls up the
second half of the map. He puts it into the second case and puts the case
around his young son's shoulder.)
KING: Ride west. Speak to no one.
SON: (shakes his head) Father, No. I don't know ...
(The KING grasps his son's face with his hands and speaks steadily to him.)
KING: Find our brothers in Scotland. The map MUST be protected. It's all
that's important now. I must remain here to secure the castle. The power of
the ring must never fall into the hands of Dorna.
(After a moment, he hugs his son.)
KING: I love you, my son. Go now.
(The SON turns and walks out of the room, his steps faster as he reaches the
door till he finally takes off out the door in a full run.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. CASTLE -- DAY]
(Two horsemen ride off together. One white horse and one black horse. They
reach a point, then they separate. The son takes off, riding as fast as he can
away from the castle on his white horse.)
CUT TO:
[INT. CASTLE - DAY - CONTINUOUS]
(Inside the castle, the KING uses all his strength to turn the large wooden
gears.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. CASTLE - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]
(The son stops his white horse, turns around and looks back at the castle.)
(He sees two large doors slide open.)
(Cut to: Inside the castle, the KING stops turning the gears.)
(Cut to: Outside the castle, the son sees a large glass-like mirrored device
slowly slide out from the open passage. The mirrors are angled to catch the
rays of the sun. As the device comes further out of the castle, the more light
it catches.)
(The mirrored device glows brighter and brighter. The sudden flash of light
blinds the SON; he puts up an arm to protect his eyes from the bright light.
When the light vanishes and the son puts his arm down, the castle is gone.)
SON: (panics) Father?!
(The SON sits on his white horse and shouts to the mountain tops at the top of
his lungs.)
SON: (shouts) Father! (echoing) father! ... father!
(He looks down at the tube carrying the map and hugs it close to his chest.)
DE MOLAY: (v.o.) So, do you believe this story, Solomon?
(The SON turns his horse and rides off to complete his mission.)
CUT TO:
[INT. SWITZERLAND - CASTLE -- DAY]
(SOLOMON sits in the BENEFACTOR'S OFFICE.)
SOLOMON: I believe there's truth in every story.
DE MOLAY: Well said.
(The BENEFACTOR reaches up and closes the office doors. He turns around to head
back to his desk.)
DE MOLAY: Well, The Templars defended the secrets of the ancients with their
lives.
(Rather than sit behind it, DE MOLAY takes out the leather tube just like the
one in the story. He uncaps it and removes the map inside.)
DE MOLAY: There's a brotherhood of men throughout the world who continue in
this practice. You, Solomon, are among them.
(SOLOMON stands up. DE MOLAY gently unrolls the map flat on the table.)
DE MOLAY: This half of the map has been in the protection of my family for
hundreds of years. Now, the other half of the map is in jeopardy.
SOLOMON: Dorna.
DE MOLAY: (nods) Yes. Madrid de Lancier, a distinguished member of our
brotherhood ... a man so refined in the arts -- as they say, he possesses no
fear, has recently become very frightened indeed. Dorna has uncovered his
identity. They're closing in. He said that he can no longer protect his half
of the map. So, Solomon, he's sending it to you.
SOLOMON: You want me to hide it?
DE MOLAY: Well, not exactly. He's in trouble Solomon.
SOLOMON: If de Lancier has only one half of the map, as long as your half is
safe, then the castle is safe. For that matter, why not just destroy your half,
that way, no one gets the treasure.
DE MOLAY: Dorna destroyed the March Templars trying to obtain the Templar's
Treasure.
(He points to the picture of a castle drawn on top of the map.)
DE MOLAY: This map leads to an important piece of that treasure.
SOLOMON: What is it? The treasure. What am I looking for?
(DE MOLAY takes a couple of steps toward the window, then turns around.)
DE MOLAY: You know about the Ring of Truth?
(SOLOMON'S eyes widen in surprise. DE MOLAY sits down in a seat behind the
lounge area. SOLOMON quietly takes the seat in front of DE MOLAY.)
SOLOMON: (quietly) So, the Ring is real. And that's what Dorna's after.
DE MOLAY: Templars all around the world, kept the pieces of the Ring hidden
from Dorna. But they're not meant to be hidden forever. They're going to need
the Ring when the time comes. And that time is growing ever closer. 2012 is
only nine years away.
SOLOMON: The prophecies are true. End of Days.
DE MOLAY: Or, the Glorious Beginning. The world is headed for a reckoning.
The Ring is the key to great power and knowledge. It can bring about the very
flowering of humanity. Second Eden.
DE MOLAY: (continues) But if Dorna gets it, it will be a cataclysm. But there
is a warning.
(DE MOLAY stands up and walks over to the map.)
DE MOLAY: This map only leads to the castle. The Templars used all their
skills to ensure the safety of the ring. The piece will be well hidden.
SOLOMON: And the castle will be designed to protect it accordingly.
(DE MOLAY takes the map and rolls it up.)
DE MOLAY: Exactly. You must learn the castle's secrets. Solomon, you must
find this piece of the ring. Everything hangs in the balance.
(And just as the father handed the son the map in the teaser, DEMOLAY hands the
map over to SOLOMON who takes it.)
(DE MOLAY looks at SOLOMON. SOLOMON looks down from the map, then up back at DE
MOLAY.)
HARD CUT TO
END OF TEASER
ROLL TITLE CREDITS
(COMMERCIAL SET)
FADE IN.
[EXT. VERITAS FOUNDATION -- DAY]
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION - DAY]
(MAGGIE is working at her desk. JULIET rushes into the main office carrying the
metal briefcase. She stacks it up on another suitcase near the doorway. CALVIN
walks into the room looking absolutely ragged.)
JULIET: Hey, look what the cat dragged in.
(He walks past her.)
CALVIN: Don't start.
JULIET: Hey. You're three hours late. You have the research of Chateau Rene
that Dr. Zond asked for?
CALVIN: No. Not yet.
JULIET: Well, Calvin, he needs them now.
(CALVIN turns around and heads back toward the front door.)
CALVIN: Okay. Well, I have a really bad headache and I have the files. So,
let me go home and take care of this, so back off.
(He almost makes it to the door when MAGGIE stops him.)
MAGGIE: Cal. You have a second?
(He turns around and looks expectantly at MAGGIE, waiting for her to say what
she wants. Instead, MAGGIE fixes JULIET with a look.)
MAGGIE: Juliet.
(JULIET catches on and makes her excuses.)
JULIET: Oh, right. Okay. I have some stuff I need to do anyway, so ...
(She turns to leave the room and sneezes on her way out.)
JULIET: (sneezes) atchoo
MAGGIE: God Bless You.
JULIET: Thank you.
(JULIET leaves the room. MAGGIE motions with her head for CALVIN to take a
chair.)
MAGGIE: Have a seat.
CALVIN: No ... I'm going to be leaving anyway.
MAGGIE: You okay?
CALVIN: (sighs) Yeah, I'm fine.
MAGGIE: Well, this isn't like you Cal. You went out again last night.
CALVIN: Yeah, I went out. Okay? I went out. I had fun. I danced. I had a
really good time, okay? I'm guilty. Fire me, okay?
(CALVIN turns to leave the room, but MAGGIE stops him again.)
MAGGIE: Calvin. I've got another idea. Why don't I make you one of my special
morning-after shakes ...
(CALVIN shakes his head and brushes it aside.)
MAGGIE: ... and you and I can sit down and try to remember that we're friends.
(CALVIN turns to look back at MAGGIE.)
CUT TO:
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION - TRAINING ROOM -- DAY]
VINCENT: (v.o.) Focus.
(NIKKO is in the training room with VINCENT. They stand side-by-side in the
same meditative position practicing their focusing. They're standing up
straight, arms straight up in the air. They hold the first position, then slowly
move into another position.)
(Dissolve to: Another meditative position. Their hands are up in front of
their faces, palms flat and facing each other as if in prayer, their fingertips
pointing upward, their eyes out forward. They slowly push their prayer hands
out in front of them, palms flat out away from their bodies.)
VINCENT: (soft and far away) (v.o.) Focus.
(Dissolve to: They move into yet another meditative position. Their movements
controlled and coordinated as if in a dance.)
VINCENT: (soft and closer) (v.o.) Focus.
(Several dissolves of their meditation training on focus.)
VINCENT: (louder) (v.o.) Stay focused.
(Several more dissolves into different positions.)
NIKKO: (echoing) (v.o.) I stay any more focused and my head is going to
explode.
VINCENT: (echoing) Trust me, your mind will do things you can't even imagine.
CUT TO:
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S LIPS]
NIKKO: One.
CUT TO:
[CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S CLOSED EYES]
NIKKO: Two.
CUT TO:
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S LIPS]
(He breaks concentration and his lips move swiftly as if he's talking with
himself, then he realizes that he's not concentrating.)
NIKKO: (frustrated) Damn it.
CUT TO:
[VINCENT]
VINCENT: (flatly) Concentrate on the counting.
[DIFFERENT ANGLE: VINCENT]
VINCENT: (v.o.) If another thought wanders into your mind, ...
DISSOLVE TO:
(Back to the meditation and movement as they move from position to position.)
VINCENT: (echoing) ... gently move it aside and start counting from one again.
(Several dissolves of different positions.)
(Dissolve to: Close up of NIKKO'S eyes.)
NIKKO: (echoing) Do you have any idea what's wandering into my mind, trust me.
CUT TO:
[VINCENT]
(VINCENT stands in the corner of the room, his arms crossed in front of his
chest.)
VINCENT: (firmly) Start from one again.
CUT TO:
[NIKKO'S EYES]
NIKKO: Start from one?
[DIFFERENT ANGLE ON NIKKO]
NIKKO: I can't get past one.
[CLOSE UP OF VINCENT]
VINCENT: How do you expect to get anywhere in life ...
(VINCENT is angled next to NIKKO, looking closely at him from the side.)
VINCENT: ... if you can't get past one.
[CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S EYES]
NIKKO: (rambling) Well, I can always take a cab, ...
[DIFFERENT ANGLE ON NIKKO]
NIKKO: ... I mean, take the jet.
[VINCENT'S LIPS]
VINCENT: (shouts) FOCUS!
[DIFFERENT ANGLE OF VINCENT whispering into NIKKO'S ear.]
VINCENT: (quietly) focus.
[DIFFERENT ANGLE OF VINCENT whispering while looking directly at NIKKO.]
VINCENT: (softly) focus.
(NIKKO sits in the middle of the training room looking as if he's about to cry.
Standing at the far edge of the room behind him is VINCENT with his arms crossed
in front of his chest, legs apart.)
(NIKKO closes his eyes.)
(He takes a breath.)
(And starts counting.)
NIKKO: One.
CUT TO:
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION - MAIN ROOM -- DAY]
(CALVIN and MAGGIE sit down for a talk.)
CALVIN: Can a person just lose his faith?
MAGGIE: Anyone can. The question is why are you losing yours.
CALVIN: (softly) I don't know. (louder) I don't know. I get up in the
morning ...
(CALVIN stands up.)
MAGGIE: ... or afternoon ...
CALVIN: Whatever the case may be. And I just want to disappear.
MAGGIE: Where do you want to go?
CALVIN: I don't know. I don't care. Anywhere. Europe. Italy.
MAGGIE: (mumbles incoherently) Now that's just lovely.
CALVIN: (shakes his head and sits down) Whatever.
MAGGIE: (mumbles)
(CALVIN stops and thinks about it. The words don't come out of his mouth and
he's just plain frustrated. He puts a hand to his head and sighs.)
(MAGGIE waits patiently for him.)
CALVIN: What's the purpose of looking for the Truth if you lose everything else
in the process.
(MAGGIE slowly gets up from her chair and turns to look at CALVIN.)
MAGGIE: We all have losses and it never fails to change us at our core, believe
me, I know.
CALVIN: (disbelieving) Oh, you do.
MAGGIE: Yes, I do. (She levels him a look.) Look, I'm thinking that maybe you
should get away for a while. Take a break. Rethink things.
(MAGGIE sits back down in her seat.)
CALVIN: Really?
MAGGIE: Really, really. But make sure you do it the right way.
CALVIN: What does that mean?
(MAGGIE stands up.)
MAGGIE: Talk to Solomon. This mission is important. He needs us. Come on
this trip and when you're ready, tell him what you need.
(MAGGIE moves over next to CALVIN.)
(CALVIN sighs, then nods.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. JET (MOVING) - DAY]
[INT. JET (MOVING) -- DAY]
(JULIET puts the two halves of the map together on the table. She sits at the
table opposite SOLOMON and next to NIKKO. MAGGIE sits in the back of the cabin,
as does CALVIN and VINCENT.)
JULIET: The map of the Rene's castle. This is the first time it's been one
piece since 1126.
(SOLOMON turns to look at the picture of the Chateau Rene in the open book next
to him on the table.
JULIET: It's in the Range in the French Pyrenees and the castle is built into
the jagged face of the mountain.
MAGGIE: Only no one's seen it since the 12th century.
JULIET: This is Cal's analysis of the technical drawings we found on the map.
(JULIET hands the report to SOLOMON. MAGGIE stands up to get a better look
closer to the table. She stands off of JULIET'S shoulder. NIKKO also sits up
straighter.)
JULIET: The specs of some sort of lens, it details of an optical system. The
drawings seem to indicate that the castle is hidden by a really elaborate
optical illusion.
MAGGIE: Look at this grid pattern on the map. Now look at the place of the
grid marks and the position of the lenses.
JULIET: Maybe that's how you see through the illusion to find the castle.
SOLOMON: We're going to need to get ourselves some lenses. Let me see.
(SOLOMON starts counting; but CALVIN already knows the answer.)
CALVIN: Nine.
(SOLOMON looks up at CALVIN, sitting alone in the back of the cabin. Everyone
turns to look at CALVIN.)
CALVIN: You're going to need nine lenses.
(SOLOMON looks back down at the map and sighs.)
SOLOMON: It looks like a giant camera obscure?
NIKKO: More like a reference obscure?
SOLOMON: (explains) A Camera Obscure is an ancient means of projecting an
image. It's considered the earliest predecessor of the camera.
NIKKO: (smiles eagerly) Well, all right. Let's take some pictures!
CUT TO:
[EXT. FRENCH PYRENEES - DAY]
LEGEND: FRENCH PYRENEES
(NIKKO turns the lens. Behind him, the others position their lenses. The ground
is covered with a thin layer of snow, the sun is shining and yet it's very
cold.)
(The van is parked near the center of the lens display. Set up near the van is
a black cloth-covered booth.)
(NIKKO locks his lens into place and speaks into the hand-held radio.)
NIKKO: (to radio) All right. Come on. (pleased, to himself) Yeah.
(Seeing that everything's set, SOLOMON calls the team back to the van.)
SOLOMON: All right! Come on in and let's see what we've got!
(NIKKO and VINCENT dash toward the van.)
(Once there, everyone stands around the black box with a camera and board set up
to capture the picture.)
(SOLOMON presses his remote and the lenses move in sync. It catches the
sunlight's rays.)
(NIKKO leans forward and sees something in the box.)
NIKKO: Hey, Dad! Dad! Come look at this.
(SOLOMON moves around from the camera side to where NIKKO is looking. On the
board inside the box is the reflection of the Pyrenees ... with the castle
nestled in the mountain side.)
(Everyone gathers around to look at the reflection of the castle.)
(The camera moves slowly upward from the box image of the castle to the
mountainside with NO castle.)
SOLOMON looks out at the mountains.)
SOLOMON: (pleased) I think we've found our castle.
(CALVIN turns to look at SOLOMON. VINCENT nods. NIKKO has a huge grin on his
face, just like the one to match SOLOMON'S.)
(The crew makes their way toward the castle, CALVIN leads the way.)
CALVIN: (mumbles) I still don't see anything.
(SOLOMON steps up to CALVIN, puts an encouraging hand on his shoulder and slowly
steps in front of him.)
SOLOMON: Well, let's just keep moving. When we get close enough, we'll be
inside the optical effect.
(As soon as they get close enough, there's a large burst of extremely bright
light. They all duck and cover their eyes at the light's brightness.)
(When the light passes, right in front of them is the large Chateau Rene with
the mirrored device protruding out from the opening in its side.)
SOLOMON: (tongue in cheek) This kinda elevates the whole slope of the earth
position, doesn't it?
(He turns back to look at NIKKO, who smiles and nods his head in agreement.)
(Camera holds on the amazing view of the Chateau Rene nestled in the mountains.)
FADE OUT.
(COMMERCIAL SET)
FADE IN.
[EXT. CHATEAU RENE -- DAY]
[INT. CHATEAU RENE - DAY]
(The large double doors to the great hall opens. SOLOMON and the rest of the
team walk into the castle. NIKKO and VINCENT carry a long wooden box full of
equipment. SOLOMON looks around the room.)
SOLOMON: All right. Set up base here. If we're going to find the Ring, we
need to get a lay out of the castle. Every inch of this place, mapped and
logged. A.S.A.P!
(NIKKO follows SOLOMON.)
NIKKO: Dad, this place is massive. It'll take days!
(MAGGIE walks by.)
MAGGIE: Then let's get to it.
(He looks around the room.)
NIKKO: (under his breath) All right. Let's get to it.
CUT TO:
[INT. CHATEAU RENE - HALLWAY -- DAY]
(SOLOMON walks down a hallway while looking at his palm pilot or small
calibrating piece of equipment in his hand.)
(Cut to: Camera opens on A Templar Cross decorated on the inside of a closed
door. The door opens and CALVIN walks inside.)
(He turns on his flashlight and looks around the room.)
CALVIN: (quietly) What do we have here?
CUT TO:
[ANOTHER PART OF THE CASTLE -- CONTINUOUS]
(VINCENT and NIKKO turn the corner and start walking down a hallway. VINCENT
looks down at his hand-held device and reads the numbers on it to NIKKO.)
VINCENT: 44-2
(NIKKO writes the numbers down. VINCENT continues down the passageway. NIKKO
stops and looks up and around the strange castle.
NIKKO: I don't get it. There's no way out of this place. It's totally
whacked. It doesn't make any sense.
(NIKKO continues to follow VINCENT down the passageway.)
CUT TO:
[CALVIN -- CONTINUOUS]
[DIFFERENT ANGLE toward CALVIN behind the backless shelves]
(CALVIN shines the light on the shelves in front of him and toward the camera.
The shelves are partitioned into small square cubicles. In each cubicle there
appears to be a single rolled up piece of parchment.)
(CALVIN continues to look through the shelves and comes across a cubicle with a
huge rat in it.)
(CALVIN gasps at the sight of the rat.)
(CALVIN turns away for a moment to get control over his initial shock, then
turns back to the intruder.)
CALVIN: Rats! Why'd it have to be rats!
CUT TO:
[NIKKO]
(NIKKO looks around the strange passageway. VINCENT stands a ways behind
NIKKO.)
VINCENT: Your dad said that this place was designed to conceal and protect the
ring. So maybe the layout is supposed to confuse us.
NIKKO: Well, it's working.
VINCENT: Let's split up. We'll cover more ground. We'll meet up back at base
camp in a few hours.
NIKKO: All right.
(The two start down the hallway, then split taking different directions at the
intersection.)
CUT TO:
[BASE CAMP - GREAT ROOM]
(MAGGIE and JULIET carry and lift the long, thin wooden box up onto the table.
JULIET is suddenly hit with a headache. She leans onto the box and puts a hand
to her forehead.)
JULIET: Ow.
(MAGGIE watches JULIET and how her headache really seems to be paining her.)
MAGGIE: (concerned) You all right?
(JULIET doesn't answer immediately.)
MAGGIE: Listen, sit down for a second.
(MAGGIE helps JULIET sit down.)
JULIET: Yeah, I'm all right. I just ... I've got this headache.
MAGGIE: I'll get you some aspirin.
(MAGGIE turns to get the aspirin.)
JULIET: Thanks, Maggie. This cold is really starting to kick my ass.
CUT TO:
[NIKKO]
(NIKKO walks around the passage, looking around as he goes. He passes a window
and hears something move. He stops to listen. He hears the sound again. NIKKO
starts searching for the source of the sound in front of him.)
(Then he hears the sound behind him. Closer. NIKKO whirls around and heads
toward the sound. He hears it again. NIKKO stops and listens. The sound
continues.)
(NIKKO heads down the passageway toward the sound.)
CUT TO:
[CALVIN]
(CALVIN unrolls a scroll and looks at its contents.)
CUT TO:
[NIKKO]
(NIKKO continues down the passageway, further away from the window. It's
getting darker as he enters deeper into the castle.)
(The camera catches the view of someone standing behind NIKKO, his figure
standing in the light of the window.)
(NIKKO gasps and turns around. He looks and there's no one there.)
(NIKKO starts to breathe hard.)
(He takes a step forward back toward the window and looks to his right ... then
to his left. He doesn't see anyone.)
(A woman screams. It echoes in the castle walls.)
NIKKO: (to radio) Hey. Can anyone else hear that?
INTERCUT WITH:
[SOLOMON]
NIKKO: (from radio) Dad, is everyone all right out there?
SOLOMON: Nikko, what's going on?
NIKKO: You're not going to believe this, but I swear I just heard a woman
scream.
SOLOMON: Maggie, Juliet. You all right?
INTERCUT WITH:
[MAGGIE & JULIET IN GREAT HALL]
MAGGIE: I'm fine. Juliet might have caught a bug. Other than that, we're
good.
SOLOMON: Calvin?
[CALVIN]
CALVIN: Uhm. (sighs and looks around the room) I found kinda like ... this
storage room. There are plans here. Most of them are Masonic designs.
SOLOMON: Anything on the castle?
CALVIN: No, not yet. I just started looking.
SOLOMON: (to NIKKO) Nikko, you sure you heard ...
NIKKO: (insistent and getting louder) Yes, dad. Okay? I know what I --
(shouts)
(Suddenly behind NIKKO, the dark figure appears shadowed in the window. NIKKO
turns around and yells out in surprise.)
(NIKKO takes a step backward.)
(VINCENT steps forward into the light.)
VINCENT: You all right?
(SOLOMON starts running to find NIKKO.)
SOLOMON: Nikko? (from radio) Nikko!
(NIKKO stares at VINCENT and growing angry at being startled.)
NIKKO: (to radio) I'm all right. (to VINCENT) Why do you have to do that all
the time?
VINCENT: (deadpans) Because it's fun.
(NIKKO doesn't laugh at the humor, instead, he seems more upset.)
SOLOMON: (from radio) Listen, I want everyone to head back to the Great Room.
We may not be alone here.
(NIKKO walks past VINCENT to head back to the Great Room. VINCENT turns to
follow him.)
CUT TO:
[SOLOMON]
(SOLOMON looks up at the passage walls and determines which way he should go.)
SOLOMON: (to himself) This way.
(SOLOMON points to his right and heads in that direction. He takes a couple of
steps and stops. His brow furrows in confusion.)
SOLOMON: (to himself) Right?
(He turns around to look at the passageway behind him. He sees a small dark
passage at the top of a short stairs. He heads in that direction.)
SOLOMON: No? It's this way.
(He almost reaches the top of the stairs when he stops and turns back around.
He appears to be lost. He reconsiders and heads back down the stairs into the
passageway in the direction he was originally going to go in the first place.)
SOLOMON: (to himself) Okay. It's definitely this way and stop talking to
yourself.
(He walks forward and stops dead in his tracks. At the end of the corridor is
TOLLAN and a group of his goons.)
TOLLAN: We sit tight. We wait for Solomon to do what he does best.
(SOLOMON hides behind the wall, his back pressed to it as he listens to their
conversation.)
TOLLAN: (continuing) Which is find things. When he finds the ring, then we'll
have it.
GOON: And what if he gets away? He has a habit of doing that.
TOLLAN: Then we'll take his son.
(SOLOMON'S eyes widen with anger as he listens to the conversation. TOLLAN
continues to address his goons.)
TOLLAN: That boy is Zond's weakness. We have the boy, Zond will give us
whatever we want. Okay?
(SOLOMON'S heard enough. He turns and heads back to the Great Room.)
CUT TO:
[GREAT ROOM]
(JULIET is incapacitated and lying on the mat on the floor. MAGGIE kneels next
to her, tending to her. The door opens and CALVIN walks into the room. He
stops when he sees JULIET on the ground. NIKKO looks up when he enters.)
(SOLOMON rushes into the room.)
SOLOMON: (out of breath) Dorna's here. We've got to move.
(SOLOMON, full of energy, heads for the back of the room where the things are.)
CALVIN: What?
(VINCENT slowly looks up, his attention perking up as SOLOMON fills them in.)
SOLOMON: They're waiting for us to find the Ring first and then they'll move
in. I heard them.
(Everyone slowly gathers together.)
VINCENT: How many are they?
SOLOMON: Eight. Nine. Ten?
NIKKO: Dad, what the hell is going on?
CALVIN: Wait. wait. wait! How can Dorna find us? They don't have the map.
SOLOMON: I don't know, but we're not sticking around to find out. (to MAGGIE)
Can she walk?
(MAGGIE holds on to JULIET who starts convulsing or shivering with cold.)
MAGGIE: We'll get her out.
NIKKO: Wait. What about the ring?
VINCENT: We'll figure that out later.
SOLOMON: Look, we're out manned and out-gunned. I'm not going to risk all our
lives in a losing fight. Let's pack it up.
(SOLOMON starts to grab the gear on the table to pack it up. VINCENT turns to
get the things. CALVIN hits the table in quasi-frustration that they'll have to
give up and run instead of staying and fighting. NIKKO stands there a moment,
completely disappointed, then he reluctantly starts to gather his gear.)
CUT TO:
[PASSAGEWAY]
(SOLOMON heads down the passageway, the rest of the team just moments behind
him. He rounds the corner and nearly fall off the edge of the hole in the floor
down into a deep pit.)
SOLOMON: Whoa! Whoa!
(NIKKO grabs SOLOMON to help pull him back.)
(They stand at the edge of the floor overlooking the pit. The archway leads
directly to the room containing nothing but the pit. Coming from the pit is a
low volume frequency humming sound. It almost sounds like wind blowing through
the cracks in the mountains and reverberating up through the pit into the
castle. It's low and loud.)
(CALVIN and MAGGIE stand behind them. They look down into the deep, dark pit in
front of them and up into the ceiling.)
SOLOMON: This is the way in, right?
MAGGIE: I thought so. Maybe we got turned around.
SOLOMON: (insistent) No, no! I remember this archway.
(SOLOMON looks at the archway above the entrance leading to the pit.)
NIKKO: (stares) This place is totally tripped out.
(JULIET whimpers and puts a hand to her forehead. She's in pain. She starts
screaming hysterically. Completely un-Juliet-like.)
JULIET: (whimpers, then screams) Stop! Make it Stop! Make it stop!
(SOLOMON turns around and sees JULIET distressed. JULIET presses her hand flat
against her ears. She has her eyes tightly shut and continues to whimper at the
pain in her head.)
(He grabs her upper arms and tries to calm her down.)
SOLOMON: It's okay, Juliet! It's all right. It's all right.
(JULIET stares desperately at SOLOMON and the others.)
JULIET: (wildly, earnestly) We have to get out of here. We have to leave.
(MAGGIE steps forward and kneels down in front of JULIET.)
MAGGIE: Juliet.
(For a moment, JULIET focuses on MAGGIE. She turns and sees SOLOMON standing
just next to MAGGIE, right in front of her. The humming from the pit grows loud
and soft continuously.)
(JULIET grabs SOLOMON's jacket lapels and pulls him closer to her. SOLOMON is
jostled surprised by the move. He glances down at her hands. But JULIET looks
into SOLOMON'S eyes and says eerily with conviction.)
JULIET: (intensely) We're all going to die here, Dr. Zond.
(NIKKO and VINCENT standing behind SOLOMON both take a step backward from
JULIET, their eyes widening in surprise.)
(JULIET looks around at the others.)
(From above, there's a noise. SOLOMON looks up at where the sound might have
come from.)
(He stands up and helps JULIET to her feet.)
SOLOMON: Everyone back to the Great Room.
(He starts pushing everyone back to the passage in the direction they just
came.)
NIKKO: (confused) What?
SOLOMON: C'mon! Let's go! Back to the Great Room!
(With a last glance over the dark pit, SOLOMON looks out and listens. He hears
the sound of approaching footsteps.)
VINCENT: Solomon, what's wrong?
SOLOMON: (mutters) They're coming! (to VINCENT) Let's go!
(He turns and grab's VINCENT'S arm for them to head back to the Great Room.)
CUT TO:
[HALLWAY VIEW OF GREAT ROOM DOOR]
(One by one, everyone rushes back into the Great Room, SOLOMON yelling behind
them.)
SOLOMON: Go! Go! Go! Lock it up!
(VINCENT runs quickly into the room. He turns around. SOLOMON's the last one
into the room. He drops his bag and shuts the doors as VINCENT bars them with
the thick wooden beam.)
CUT TO:
[GREAT ROOM]
(JULIET is completely incapacitated. She's lying flat on her back on the Great
Room floor. NIKKO kneels down next to her. He stands and turns to head back to
the group.)
(NIKKO walks past VINCENT, who stands silently behind SOLOMON watching him, and
heads for SOLOMON, who has a hand palm flat against the back of his head.
SOLOMON appears worried.)
NIKKO: Dad.
(He puts out a hand and touches SOLOMON'S shoulder. SOLOMON jumps and whirls
around at the contact completely surprised.)
NIKKO: Easy.
(SOLOMON puts a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder and smiles his
"everything's-going-to-be-all-right" smile at him.)
SOLOMON: Yeah.
NIKKO: (referring to JULIET) She's asleep. Okay?
(MAGGIE appears next to NIKKO. VINCENT turns around to listen.)
MAGGIE: (very concerned) Something's not right with her, Solomon. I mean,
it's not just a cold.
VINCENT: She's reacting to something in the air. This all started once she got
into the castle.
SOLOMON: They haven't come to find us, but that could change at any time.
(SOLOMON moves to look at JULIET as he issues orders around the room. They need
a plan.)
SOLOMON: Maggie, I want you to look into what's going on with Juliet. Do a
full toxicology on air, dust, any allergies ... you know the drill.
(MAGGIE moves toward her things to get started on it. SOLOMON turns to CALVIN.)
SOLOMON: Cal? Go over these scrolls and see what you can get on the layout of
his place. Find us a way out of here.
CALVIN: (mutters) There is no way out of here.
SOLOMON: (harder) Just find it!
(CALVIN glances at SOLOMON. Camera cuts over to NIKKO who watches SOLOMON'S
behavior, the over to VINCENT who also watches SOLOMON closely.)
SOLOMON: All right?!
(VINCENT turns around surveying everyone in the place. SOLOMON swallows.)
VINCENT: Okay. But we're going to need to be well-rested. We'll sleep in
shifts. One person on guard duty at all times.
SOLOMON: I'll take the first watch.
(NIKKO steps aside, his eyes still on SOLOMON. When he's out of hearing
distance and they're alone facing each other, VINCENT looks at SOLOMON
carefully.)
VINCENT: (quietly) Are we good?
SOLOMON: (a bit surprised by the question) Yeah, we're good.
(SOLOMON turns and walks away. Camera holds on VINCENT who also turns away.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. CHATEAU RENE - NIGHT]
(Establish.)
[INT. CHATEAU RENE - GREAT ROOM -- NIGHT]
(Everything in the castle is dark and everyone's asleep on the floor of the
castle. SOLOMON'S on first watch, sitting up against a wooden crate on the
floor, his eyes wide open and staring at the wide open door in front of him.)
(Through the open door, he sees the darkened figure of a familiar woman standing
out in the hallway just beyond the door.)
(SOLOMON stares hard at the figure.)
(The figure takes a couple of steps forward into the light. It's HALEY CAYCE.)
(She looks back at SOLOMON, then she smiles.)
(With his eyes wide open, SOLOMON smiles back at her. He tilts his head
slightly to the side almost as if asking her an unspoken question.)
(Smiling, she tilts her head to the side, too. As he watches her, she motions
with her head for him to follow her. She playfully steps back to the hallway
and away from the door.)
(SOLOMON watches her go. He puts down his flashlight, scrambles to his feet and
follows her. He walks out of the Great Room, trying to catch up with her.)
(He walks down to the end of the hallway and looks around the corner. HALEY
playfully turns around and continues down the next corridor.)
(SOLOMON turns the corner to follow.)
(At the end of the hallway, the door creaks open. Inside the next room, the
image of the templar cross is stenciled in light on the wall of the next room.
SOLOMON heads for the door that he thinks HALEY just went through. He's still
following her.)
(He starts running for the door.)
(He enters the room to find himself at the top of a long set of stone stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, HALEY turns around to see if he's still following
her. She reaches the bottom and SOLOMON sees her walk through the doorway.)
(SOLOMON smiles a little, then starts down the long set of stone stairs.)
(Cut to: When he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he turns the corner and
walks through a door leading into another room. Just standing outside the
doorway is a large stone statue of a Templar Knight.)
(SOLOMON looks around the room. It's a strange room. There are lit candles
everywhere. There's a small circular window at the far end of the room. In the
center of the room there's a floor-to-ceiling pillar. SOLOMON takes a step
toward the pillar. HALEY steps forward out of the shadows of the pillar. She
smiles at him and stands close to him.)
(SOLOMON looks down at HALEY and smiles as if he's finally found the treasure
he's been searching for. HALEY smiles back.)
HAYLEY CAYCE: I've never stopped loving you.
SOLOMON: (shakes his head) I don't understand.
HALEY CAYCE: (whispers) So much I want to tell you.
(She moves forward; he leans forward. They kiss.)
(The camera moves around them in a slow romantic pan. SOLOMON closes his eyes
and gets into the kiss. Then, the camera speeds up to something completely
unnatural. The camera circles around them at a top speed.)
(Finally, TOLLAN reaches out and grabs SOLOMON. He throws SOLOMON down to the
ground.)
SOLOMON: Whoa!
(He takes out a gun and points it down at SOLOMON.)
TOLLAN: Welcome to our castle, Solomon.
(SOLOMON raises his hands in surrender. He swallows, hard.)
FADE OUT.
(COMMERCIAL SET)
FADE IN.
[INT. CHATEAU RENE - INNERMOST ROOM -- NIGHT]
(Camera opens on a small fire burning on the concrete floor of the innermost
room. Papers and diaries burn and form a small pile for the fire to consume.)
(Camera moves over to SOLOMON'S open metal briefcase, HALEY'S diaries out on the
floor surrounding it. TOLLAN reaches down and picks up another one of HALEY'S
diaries. He's sitting in the only chair in the middle of the room, leafing
through the pages of the leather-bound diary in his hands.)
(He rips out a page.)
(Across the room, tied to the floor-to-ceiling beam, SOLOMON watches
helplessly.)
SOLOMON: Stop it, please.
TOLLAN: You know, you're not going to need these anymore, anyway.
(TOLLAN holds the single page out in front of the small fire waiting for the
paper to catch on fire. The page catches fire. TOLLAN throws the burning page
to the floor.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(On the burning page as it falls to the floor, slowly turning into ash.)
CUT TO:
[GREAT ROOM]
(VINCENT moves the jacket aside and picks up the backpack from the table.
CALVIN sits at the table, tired and thinking.)
CALVIN: If Dorna grabbed him, why didn't they touch us?
(VINCENT puts the back pack down on the table.)
VINCENT: I don't know, but I'm about to find out.
NIKKO: (steps forward) I'm coming with you.
VINCENT: No, you stay here with the others.
NIKKO: (shouts) Look, he's my father all right.
VINCENT: (hard) Hey! This is what I do, Nikko. You won't be helping him.
You'll just be a potential complication. I'll find him. I promise.
(VINCENT turns and runs out of the Great Room.)
CUT TO:
[SOLOMON]
(TOLLAN sits in his chair and gleefully rips out another page from HALEY'S
diary. On the right of him on the wall is a shadow of a templar cross.)
TOLLAN: (looks at the page and mutters) Ah. There's another one. I love it.
SOLOMON: (screams) Stop it!
(TOLLAN holds the single page out over the small fire. The page burns. TOLLAN
looks back at SOLOMON.)
TOLLAN: You must've realized that sooner or later, you would outlive your
usefulness.
(SOLOMON tries to get up off the chair, the DORNA GOON standing behind him puts
a hand on his shoulder and pushes him back down into his seat.)
SOLOMON: (frustrated) I told you, I don't know where the Ring is. We haven't
found it yet.
TOLLAN: I'm afraid that whether or not you talk or not, I am going to have to
kill you. I know everything.
SOLOMON: What? Go ahead and do it already. C'mon!
TOLLAN: But I tell you what. You tell me where the Ring is and I won't kill
your son!
(That did it. SOLOMON struggles desperately to get out of the chair. The two
DORNA GOONS standing behind him put restraining hands on his shoulders. SOLOMON
continues to struggle. He yells out in frustration.)
CUT TO:
[GREAT ROOM]
(The wind howls through the castle room. MAGGIE works on her computer. CALVIN
sits at the table next to MAGGIE going over the castle parchments. NIKKO bides
his time by throwing a ball up against the wall and catching it when it bounces
back to him. He's losing patience.)
NIKKO: (shouts) Guys, I can't just sit here and wait like this.
(He turns around and takes a step toward the table.)
MAGGIE: I know, Nikko. You'll just have to try and hang on.
NIKKO: Well, have you found anything yet?
MAGGIE: (shakes her head) No. I don't see anything abnormal in the air.
Nothing to account for Juliet's condition.
CALVIN: Maggie, would you take a look at this, please?
(MAGGIE stands up and moves toward CALVIN to look at the castle parchments over
his shoulder. He points to the map layout of the castle.)
CALVIN: Okay, these are chambers built by the Templars underneath the castle.
They were built into the mountains.
MAGGIE: In the shape of the Templar Cross. What's this?
(MAGGIE grabs a magnifying glass to read the writing on the parchment.)
CALVIN: I don't know.
MAGGIE: It's all in French. (reads) Resonating Chambers.
(MAGGIE takes a step backward, the realization hitting her hard at what's going
on, her eyes wide.)
CALVIN: (shakes his head as he, too, understands) No, no way.
(NIKKO steps forward to look at the parchment. He has no clue what they're
talking about, but MAGGIE and CALVIN are both on the same wavelength already
coming to the same conclusion.)
NIKKO: What?
MAGGIE: You think? (beat) Helmholtz resonance.
NIKKO: (not following) What is it?
CALVIN: It's this.
(CALVIN grabs the empty plastic drinking bottle off the table and blows across
the mouthpiece making an airy resonant tone. JULIET is still lying on the floor
in the background.)
CALVIN: Helmholtz resonance.
MAGGIE: We've got equipment that picks up seismic activity. Think it would
pick up the vibrations in the air?
CALVIN: Yeah, I'm sure we could rig something, but ...
(CALVIN shakes his head.)
CUT TO:
[GREAT ROOM - LATER]
(MAGGIE works on getting a reading on the laptop. On screen, we see various
sound wavelengths. MAGGIE looks at the monitor, her eyes wide with shock.)
MAGGIE: My god.
(Leans forward to look.)
NIKKO: What?
(CALVIN stands off to the side looking at the readings on the laptop monitor.
He leans forward for a closer look.)
CALVIN: This is too weird.
NIKKO: What? What do you got?
MAGGIE: Look at the huge volume of sound.
(NIKKO starts to get very agitated, he's starting to shout.)
NIKKO: Sound? Look, I don't hear anything! Maggie, do you?
MAGGIE: That's because the frequency's below the range of human hearing, but
check it out! The decibel levels.
(She points to the monitors on the screen.)
CALVIN: Loud, man. Like 50 yard line at the Superbowl loud.
(MAGGIE stands up and turns around to look at JULIET who is still lying quietly
on the floor in the back of the room.)
MAGGIE: (realizing) That must be what's affecting Juliet's condition.
NIKKO: Then, how come we're not feeling it?
CALVIN: Everyone reacts differently to physiological stimulus. Uh, you said
that you heard a woman screaming, right?
NIKKO: (suddenly defensive) Oh, what? Are you saying that what I heard wasn't
real?
CALVIN: (quietly) I'm saying that you can't be sure of anything.
(Even MAGGIE is starting to get agitated, her words tumbling over one after the
other.)
MAGGIE: Helmholtz resonance has a long history of messing with minds. It's
used in shamanistic cultures to transcend the physical boundaries of their
existence. Astral projection, inter-dimensional travel -- all that sorts of
things.
NIKKO: Oh, and you think that's what's happening here? Astral projection?
MAGGIE: No, but the resonance has powerful psycho-active properties. It
affects the chemistry of the brain. I'm thinking more like ... waking dreams.
Hallucinations.
CALVIN: (calmly) The templars designed the castle to produce Helmholtz
resonance. It would be like one big mind trip booby trap.
NIKKO: (shouts) Look, I don't care! I want to know where my dad is! What
happened to him!
(Suddenly, JULIET sits up, panicked. Everyone turns to gather around her.
NIKKO kneels down in front of her.)
JULIET: No! Dr. Zond! No!
(NIKKO puts a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her down. She looks at NIKKO
with such sympathy.)
JULIET: (crying) Nikko. I'm so sorry.
(She reaches out and gently touches his cheek.)
JULIET: But you're all alone.
(NIKKO stares at her. CALVIN watches in shock. MAGGIE'S eyes go wide.)
(Taking it as a sign, NIKKO scrambles back away from JULIET. He gets to his
feet and runs toward the door to go help his dad. CALVIN and MAGGIE both run to
intercept NIKKO.)
CALVIN: Nikko! No! Wait!
(NIKKO reaches the door and lifts the wood beam up barring the door shut in
place.)
MAGGIE: Nikko!
CALVIN: You can't go! All right? You're going to make things worse!! You
can't help him!
(CALVIN reaches NIKKO at the door and stops him from removing the wood beam. He
pushes NIKKO away from the door.)
(NIKKO pushes CALVIN back against the door.)
NIKKO: He's my dad, Cal, not yours! Don't you get it?
CALVIN: No, I get it! You make damn sure of that.
(NIKKO tries to remove the wood beam; CALVIN stops him.)
CALVIN: You're not leaving!
MAGGIE: Stop it. Don't be such a stupid child.
NIKKO: I'm going to find him, now get out of my way.
(NIKKO pushes past them both and tries to lift the wood beam off the door.
CALVIN grabs NIKKO'S arm to stop him. NIKKO turns and hits CALVIN in the jaw.)
CALVIN: You stupid ... !
(Pissed, CALVIN pushes NIKKO up against the door, then down to the ground where
the two are locked and fighting.)
(NIKKO rolls over CALVIN and gets the upper hand. He pulls back his arm to
punch CALVIN when MAGGIE grabs his arm to stop him.)
MAGGIE: (screaming) Stop it! Stop it! Both of you!
(NIKKO steps back off of CALVIN. CALVIN watches NIKKO warily; as does NIKKO
back to CALVIN.)
(MAGGIE stares at the back of her hands; frozen by what she sees.)
MAGGIE: (panicking) Oh, God!
(CALVIN turns to look at MAGGIE. She starts backing up away from the door,
staring at the back of her hands.)
[MAGGIE'S POV]
(The back of her hands are wrinkled, the veins protruding from her skin with
age. Her hands shake. She can't take her eyes off of what she sees.)
[RESUME POV]
(She whimpers.)
NIKKO: Maggie!
MAGGIE: The virus! It's back!
CALVIN: What's wrong! What are you talking about? There's nothing there!
[MAGGIE'S POV]
(The back of her hands are wrinkled, the veins protruding from her skin with
age. Her hands shake. She can't take her eyes off of what she sees.)
[RESUME POV]
(CALVIN grabs her wrist.)
CALVIN: (shouting) Maggie, look! There's nothing there!
[MAGGIE'S POV]
(The back of her hands are smooth. The virus is gone.)
(MAGGIE looks up at CALVIN.)
MAGGIE: Helmholtz Resonance. It's getting to all of us. We've got to keep it
together.
(NIKKO runs and hand through his hair.)
NIKKO: (mutters) I've got to do something.
(NIKKO turns and heads for the door. CALVIN'S had it. He walks away from the
door toward the center of the room, the hallucinatory affects on MAGGIE had
really gotten to him.)
(MAGGIE, however, makes a last ditched effort to stop NIKKO.)
MAGGIE: Nikko!
NIKKO: (turns around and shouts) What?
MAGGIE: (desperately) We are in the back room of the castle -- furthest away
from the resonating center and look how it's affecting us. If you go down
there, you won't be able to control it.
CALVIN: (adds) You won't be able to tell what's real or what's not. You won't
be able to protect yourself.
NIKKO: (fires back) Oh, but none of it's real, right?
MAGGIE: This is real as I am to you now.
CALVIN: People manifest real injuries in their dream states all the time. If
you get hurt out there, you get hurt. For real. Get it?
MAGGIE: And if you die ... Nikko, you could die out there.
NIKKO: Oh, and if my dad dies, I guess he's dead, right?
(Neither MAGGIE nor CALVIN say anything to that.)
NIKKO: (nods) Yeah.
(NIKKO turns, removes the wooden beam from the door and opens it. He slips
outside. MAGGIE and CALVIN watch. They both turn away and head back toward the
middle of the room. JULIET is sitting up and she's quiet.)
CUT TO:
[PASSAGEWAY]
(NIKKO walks down the passageway looking through the corridors. He sticks his
head into one passageway and yells for his dad.)
NIKKO: Hey, Dad!
(Hearing nothing, he turns around and continues walking through the corridor.
He takes a couple of steps when his flashlight starts to blink out. He taps it;
but the light flashes off and on ... and then, off.)
(He hears the sound of a door opening. NIKKO stops fiddling with his flashlight
and listens.)
(he hears the sound of a door closing shut. He cautiously takes a couple of
steps forward, looking around through the corridors.)
NIKKO: Vincent?
(He looks down the corridor and at the very end, standing in front of the open
door is HALEY. Behind her, the shadow of the templar cross shines on the wall
inside the room.)
(She stands there and looks at NIKKO. NIKKO stares back at her, surprised. She
smiles at him.)
NIKKO: Mom.
HALEY CAYCE: (smiling) Nikko?
NIKKO: Mom!
(NIKKO starts to run as fast as he can toward his mom.)
HALEY CAYCE: (shakes her head) No.
(Behind her, TOLLAN walks up and puts his arm around her, holding her there.
NIKKO gasps and stops.)
HALEY CAYCE: (pleading) Run, Nikko. It's a trap.
(TOLLAN starts pulling HALEY backward into the room.)
HALEY CAYCE: Run!
(He pulls her into the room and closes the door. NIKKO runs toward the door.)
(He opens the door and finds that he's at the top of a long stone stairs. At
the bottom of the stairs to the right is a door. NIKKO pauses at the top of the
stairs. To the left of the stairs, he can see shadows move along the walls
indicating that there's someone inside the room.)
(NIKKO starts to run down the stairs.)
CUT TO:
[INSIDE THE RESONATING CHAMBER]
(The doors burst open and NIKKO runs into the room. He stops.)
(Inside the room, in the center sitting on a chair is TOLLAN. He motions with
his fingers pointing in front of him.)
TOLLAN: You should have listened to your mother.
[CAMERA CLOSE UP OF NIKKO]
NIKKO: (shouts) Where is she?
(TOLLAN stands up from his seat.)
TOLLAN: Although you were right and wise not to trust Vincent to rescue your
father.
(NIKKO stares at TOLLAN. He looks worried.)
TOLLAN: He is, after all, one of us.
(TOLLAN looks behind NIKKO.)
(NIKKO turns around and sees VINCENT standing inside the room, his hands
casually behind his back.)
(NIKKO stares at VINCENT, noticing that VINCENT is now dressed nicely in black,
dark dress shirt, dark tie. He looks like one of DORNA'S men.)
[CLOSE UP OF NIKKO]
VINCENT: You shouldn't have followed me, Nikko.
(VINCENT steps into the room.)
(NIKKO turns around and heads for TOLLAN. Now, he finds himself staring at
TOLLAN and behind TOLLAN are about six to eight of DORNA'S men.)
(NIKKO stops.)
(TOLLAN spreads out his arms, palms upward as if waiting for NIKKO to do
something rash in front of all the men there.)
(NIKKO glances around the room.)
NIKKO: (shouts) What did you with my mother!
(TOLLAN starts to laugh at NIKKO.)
NIKKO: (shouts) Where my father?
(TOLLAN continues to laugh. He glances at the men around him and steps back.
The men step forward.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(The men slowly advance toward NIKKO. NIKKO stares at them getting closer to
him; he turns around to see VINCENT alone in front of the doorway. NIKKO takes
his chances with VINCENT. He swings, swirls and kicks.)
(He misses VINCENT by a mile.)
(He rounds again to kick at VINCENT. VINCENT holds up a hand and blocks NIKKO'S
foot. With the same hand, he pushes NIKKO to the floor.)
(Cut to: [IN COLOR SIMILAR TO THE TRAINING ROOM] NIKKO falls to the floor, his
cheek hitting the floor.)
(PRELAP) VINCENT: (echoing) Focus.
[RESUME MOTION]
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION - PRACTICE HALL - NIKKO'S MIND - IN COLOR (WARM HUES)]
(NIKKO sits in a meditative position legs crossed, his eyes are closed and his
elbows rest on his keeps, his thumb and index finger touching in an "ok" sign.
VINCENT stands and walks around him.)
NIKKO: (v.o.) (echoing) One.
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (echoing) Two.
[DIFFERENT ANGLE ON NIKKO'S MOUTH]
(NIKKO starts to fluster, his concentration broken, lips moving as he struggles
to concentrate to be able to count.)
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) Begin again from one.
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (echoing) One.
(beat)
NIKKO: (echoing) Two.
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) You have to come to realize that none of this is real.
NIKKO: (b.g.) (echoing) Three.
(beat)
NIKKO: (b.g.) (echoing) Four.
(VINCENT continues to walk and circle around NIKKO as he sits in the center of
the room on the floor. NIKKO struggles to concentrate, his brow furrowed.)
NIKKO: (echoing) Five.
(beat)
NIKKO: (echoing) Six.
VINCENT: (echoing) But beyond that, you must understand this.
NIKKO: (echoing) Seven.
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (echoing) Eight.
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) (firmly) You have to KNOW, Nikko ...
NIKKO: (echoing) Nine
[ON NIKKO]
(Every number gets harder and harder for NIKKO.)
NIKKO: (echoing) Ten.
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) (firmly) Every impulse is a decision ...
[ON NIKKO]
NIKKO: (echoing) Eleven.
VINCENT: (o.s.) (echoing) (firmly) Every thought carries the Power of Creation
...
NIKKO: (echoing) Twelve
(beat)
NIKKO: (echoing) Thirteen
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (no echo) (easier) Fourteen
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) (firmly) As are your THOUGHTS, so will be your Reality ...
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (echoing) (easier) Fifteen
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) (firmly) As you so WILL, so will be your Destiny ...
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (calmly) (echoing) Sixteen.
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) Follow your thoughts, Nikko ...
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (calmly) (echoing) Seventeen.
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) ... it will take you where you need to go.
[ON NIKKO]
NIKKO: (calmly) Eighteen.
[ON VINCENT]
VINCENT: (echoing) Focus!
[EXTREME CLOSE UP OF NIKKO'S MOUTH]
NIKKO: (calmly) (echoing) Nineteen.
VINCENT: (o.s.) (echoing) Focus!
[ON NIKKO]
(beat)
NIKKO: (calmly) (echoing) Twenty.
CUE SOUND: (PRELAP) CARS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS / "ZOOMING"
SMASH CUT TO:
[CLOSE UP OF NIKKO]
(NIKKO'S eyes suddenly open. He is surprised at where he is. We hear the high
whining sounds of cars or vehicles traveling at extremely high speeds. Perhaps
it's the blur of Life as it passes by him.)
(NIKKO looks around.)
[EXT. SIDE OF HIGHWAY - DAY - NIKKO'S MIND -- CONTINUOUS]
(In front of him, he's standing on the side of a street facing a row of red
brick apartment houses. The road in front of him is a red and silver blur of
speeding vehicles. The vehicles are moving so fast that there is no conceivable
break in the traffic in front of him. He looks from left to right.)
(His eyes swing to the middle where he sees standing directly in front of him on
the other side of the road: HALEY CAYCE. She looks back at NIKKO.)
(And smiles.)
(NIKKO tries to get to her, but the "highway" in front of him prevents him.)
NIKKO: Mom!
(HALEY looks at NIKKO from across the street and smiles.)
HALEY CAYCE: (echoing) Look at you ... my beautiful boy.
NIKKO: What?
(NIKKO stands just at the edge of the sidewalk and right in front of the
"highway".)
HALEY CAYCE: (firmly, but gently) (echoing) You can't cross, Nikko. It's not
your time.
NIKKO: (shouting, begging, pleading desperately) No! I want to be with you!
I want you back!
HALEY CAYCE: (echoing) I am with you. And you are with me. I always have
been with you. (pause) Love. It's stronger than this. You know that Nikko,
don't you?
NIKKO: (interrupting, crying, desperate) I don't know anything!
(He takes a step into the "Highway" and the blur of reality in front of him
pushes into him. He puts an arm up to protect himself.)
(The environment around NIKKO turns and blurs and changes into ... )
FAST BLUR TO:
[CARNIVAL IN FRONT OF MERRY-GO-ROUND - NIKKO'S MIND -- CONTINUOUS]
(NIKKO looks up and he's somewhere else. Standing in front of a merry-go-round
ride in motion. A YOUNG NIKKO is riding on one of the horses on the ride. He
waves his hand enthusiastically to the woman standing on the side watching him.)
YOUNG NIKKO: Hi mom!
(NIKKO slowly turns around and sees HALEY standing behind him watching YOUNG
NIKKO on the ride. She's smiling indulgently at the child, thoroughly enjoying
that he's enjoying the ride.)
(HALEY looks at the ride and around NIKKO as he stands there right in front of
her. She watches YOUNG NIKKO on the ride and laughs in enjoyment.)
NIKKO: (sad and confused) Mom?
(HALEY continues to watch YOUNG NIKKO on the ride.)
NIKKO: What's going on? Where am I?
(Her eyes shift and she finally looks at NIKKO.)
HALEY CAYCE: (no echo) You're exactly where you're supposed to be.
(NIKKO stares at her. This isn't making a whole lot of sense to him.)
(YOUNG NIKKO is on the horse on the carousel. He lifts his arms to the air and
gives a hoot of excitement.)
YOUNG NIKKO: Woo-HOO!
HALEY CAYCE: (smiling at NIKKO) (echoing) You always were such a show-off.
(NIKKO turns around to look at the ride.)
CUT TO:
(NIKKO is now the one sitting ON the horse on the carousel. He looks out at
HALEY standing on the side watching him ride the horse.)
(He passes her by.)
(HALEY watches NIKKO on the ride.)
[DIFFERENT ANGLE OF NIKKO ON RIDE]
(Angled shot of NIKKO on horse.)
(Angled shot of the carousel horse's nostrils. Cue sounds of a live horse
breathing.)
[NIKKO'S POV]
(HALEY stands off to the side of the ride.)
HALEY CAYCE: (echoing) Grab the Ring, Nikko.
(Camera cut to: Close up of a large, thin, gold-colored brass ring hanging from
the center of the carousel.)
(NIKKO has his eyes closed. He swallows, then opens his eyes.)
HALEY CAYCE: (v.o.) (echoing) You have to grab the Ring.
(He looks up and sees the thin gold-colored brass ring hanging alone on a stand
in the center of nothing. Camera slowly moves toward the ring as NIKKO gets
closer to it.)
(He reaches out to grab the ring and just barely misses it.)
(NIKKO closes his eyes for a moment and takes a couple of breaths. He appears
disoriented.)
(Behind him on the same carousel standing in the aisle on the same ride only a
ways behind him is VINCENT.)
VINCENT: (echoing) You can do it, Nikko.
(NIKKO glances to the side and sees VINCENT.)
VINCENT: (echoing) You have to trust yourself. Trust what you see.
(NIKKO prepares himself to try again.)
HALEY CAYCE: (quietly) (echoing) Grab the Ring.
VINCENT: (echoing) You have to decide what it is you want.
(NIKKO glances down, then back up at the ring.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA: NIKKO'S POV]
(NIKKO sees the ring disengaged from the hanger. It appears to be floating in
the air and tumbling over upon itself.)
[RESUME MOTION]
(NIKKO braces himself to get the ring.)
HALEY CAYCE: (quietly) (echoing) You have to grab the Ring.
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA: NIKKO'S POV]
(The thin, gold-colored brass Ring appears to be floating and tumbling over upon
itself. As he looks at it, it changes into a different Ring -- the Ring of
Truth.)
(The Ring of Truth floats in front of him, tumbling over upon itself.)
(NIKKO reaches out his hand toward it.)
(The Ring of Truth changes back into the thin, gold-colored brass ring.)
(NIKKO stretches out his hand and grabs the brass ring.)
(He holds the ring in his hand.)
[RESUME MOTION]
(HALEY watches, pleased.)
(NIKKO looks at the ring in his hand.)
(Cut to: Close up of the carousel horse.)
CUE SOUND: (PRELAP) REAL HORSE'S NEIGHING
FLASH TO:
[NOWHERE SPECIFIC -- NIGHT - NIKKO'S MIND -- CONTINUOUS]
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(This scene is just like the beginning scenes intercut with the chess game and
preluding into the Chateau scene. NIKKO is now in this scene. Close up of a
KNIGHT riding on a white horse, galloping toward the camera.)
(Standing, NIKKO looks up at the horse.)
(The KNIGHT is on the horse. The horse scrapes his hoofs on the sand-covered
ground and neighs. NIKKO looks down. In his left hand, he holds the hilt of a
large, thick sword.)
(NIKKO lifts up the sword easily, his eyes on the KNIGHT in front of him. He
prepares himself for the attack.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(The horse rears up on his hind legs. The KNIGHT lifts his own sword. The
horse neighs.)
CUT TO:
FADE OUT
(COMMERCIAL SET)
FADE IN.
[-- NIGHT - NIKKO'S MIND -- CONTINUOUS]
(With his eyes on the KNIGHT on the white horse in front of him, NIKKO raises
his sword. Standing behind NIKKO is SOLOMON.)
(The KNIGHT on the white horse looks formidable.)
NIKKO: (panicked shout for help) Dad?!
SOLOMON: (quietly) I can't help you, son. Just remember why you're here.
(The KNIGHT on the horse starts to gallop toward him. NIKKO keeps his eyes on
the KNIGHT and prepares himself for the oncoming attack.)
(NIKKO takes a deep breath and runs out to meet the KNIGHT on the horse.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(As he gets closer, the KNIGHT raises his sword to swing.)
(As NIKKO gets closer, he lifts his sword to swing with all his strength.)
NIKKO: (grunts with exertion) AAAaarrgh!
(NIKKO raises his sword and swings. He cuts the KNIGHT's head clean off of the
body.)
NIKKO: Aaaah!
(NIKKO stops.)
(SOLOMON watches with a grim look on his face.)
(NIKKO stops and looks down at the KNIGHT'S head on the ground. He drops his
sword to the ground and picks up the KNIGHT'S head.)
(He opens the helmet's hood and sees his mother's face inside.)
(NIKKO screams.)
CUT TO:
[INT. CHATEAU RENE - RESONANCE CHAMBER - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]
(SOLOMON grabs NIKKO'S shoulders and turns him around. NIKKO struggles against
SOLOMON. SOLOMON grabs NIKKO'S shoulders and tries to calm him down.)
NIKKO: No! No!
SOLOMON: It's okay. Okay. You're okay.
(NIKKO takes a step back from SOLOMON and VINCENT and stares at them, panting.
The head of the stone knight statue is in his hands. He glances down at the
knight's head in his hand. It's not his mother's but just a statue's head made
out of stone.)
SOLOMON: It's not real. (calmly) It's not real.
(NIKKO turns around and sees the large stone statue of the horse with the (now
headless) knight towering with intimidation right in front of him. He yells out
in fright.)
(SOLOMON grabs NIKKO from behind and wraps his arms around his son, trying to
calm him down. VINCENT walks in front of NIKKO and stands directly between
NIKKO and the horse stone statue.)
VINCENT: (firmly) Nikko, look at me.
(Still somewhat wary of VINCENT, NIKKO breaks away from SOLOMON and steps away
from VINCENT.)
VINCENT: (steadily) Listen to my voice. You're here now. It wasn't real.
You hear me?
(NIKKO looks from VINCENT ... to the stone statue ... to the sword flat on the
floor.)
SOLOMON: You're okay, son. You're okay.
NIKKO: (flustered, confused) No, but Dorna, dad. They had you. No, they did.
I'm sorry.
SOLOMON: There's no one here. No one had me. It wasn't real.
(NIKKO takes several panting breaths. He looks down at the knight's head in his
hands. He looks back at the sword on the ground, then up at the horse stone
statue.)
(It all becomes too much for him. He takes a dizzying step backward and in the
process, drops the stone head.)
[SLOW MOTION CAMERA]
(The stone head drops to the ground and shatters into pieces. There's something
inside the head.)
[RESUME MOTION]
(SOLOMON grabs NIKKO as he collapses backward to the floor in a sitting
position. VINCENT steps forward to help.)
(He kneels down in front of NIKKO, who is now resting against his dad.
SOLOMON'S arms are wrapped tightly around him.)
(NIKKO glances at the mess of stone on the floor and sees something in the
rubble.)
(Camera close up of the flat, arc-shaped piece.)
NIKKO: Dad. Look.
(SOLOMON sees it. VINCENT turns around; he sees it too. He reaches out and
picks the piece up. He holds it out to NIKKO. SOLOMON reaches for it as well.)
NIKKO: (unable to tell) Is that real?
(Etched along the flat arch of the piece is writing.)
SOLOMON: Oh, yeah. It's real. (smiles) You found it.
(VINCENT glances up at SOLOMON and smiles.)
(Camera cuts to a far view of the three men in the middle of the room with the
treasured piece in their hands.)
CUT TO:
[EXT. VERITAS FOUNDATION - DAY]
(Establish.)
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION -- DAY]
(JULIET walks down the stairs and into the main office area.)
(SOLOMON walks into the office area carrying a book when he sees JULIET.)
SOLOMON: Hey. Look who's joining the living. You feeling all right?
(The elevator opens and CALVIN walks inside. He pauses when he sees SOLOMON.)
JULIET: Much improved. The whole thing was ... literally a nightmare.
(SOLOMON puts an arm around JULIET, just glad to have her well and back.)
SOLOMON: You went ... deep.
(She smiles.)
JULIET: Yeah.
(He hugs her. She laughs. They both turn to head into the main office when
CALVIN calls out to him. SOLOMON stops.)
CALVIN: Dr. Zond. Do you have a second?
(JULIET steps aside.)
SOLOMON: Yeah, sure. What's up Cal?
(CALVIN walks up to SOLOMON.)
CALVIN: Ah.
(He sighs. MAGGIE pauses and glances up at them. CALVIN pauses. SOLOMON waits
patiently and seriously for CALVIN to continue.)
CALVIN: Well, I've been thinking. (he pauses) And I think that what we do is
pretty amazing and, uh, I'm sure lucky to be working with you.
(MAGGIE glances back down at her computer and smiles.)
SOLOMON: Hey, I'm the lucky one, Cal.
(CALVIN smiles.)
SOLOMON: C'mon. Let's see what Maggie's got.
(With a hand on his shoulder, SOLOMON leads CALVIN into the main office.)
[MONITOR CLOSE UP]
(The computer runs through the alphabet letterings from the castle relic.
MAGGIE reports to the group.)
MAGGIE: The writing on the castle relic uses the same alphabet system as the
relic we found on Alma (?) Island. But the language is completely different. I
can't translate it.
(On the table are the two relics: The castle relic they recently discovered and
an unrecognizable smaller flat piece probably found in a previous episode.
NIKKO leans over the table and examines both pieces.)
(SOLOMON stands in the back of the office near his desk.)
SOLOMON: (thinking) Well, they're made from the same material. Same alphabet.
They've got to be related.
VINCENT: Pieces of the Ring?
SOLOMON: That's what I'm thinking. Maybe. But I can't make the connection.
(SOLOMON steps down and heads for the table with the relic pieces on it.)
SOLOMON: We don't even know what the Ring really is?
(SOLOMON puts his things on the table. NIKKO is holding on to one of the pieces
in his hands when the memory hits him. He takes a step back in surprise.)
NIKKO: Whoa!
(Everyone stares at him. NIKKO stands there in the middle of the room, his
hands outstretched in front of him, palms down, breathing heavily.)
SOLOMON: What is it?
[ON NIKKO - CAMERA ZOOMS IN RAPIDLY]
(Quick flash to: [NIKKO'S MEMORY] The Ring of Truth floats in front of him,
tumbling over upon itself.)
(White flash to end of memory. Resume to NIKKO.)
(NIKKO blinks.)
(NIKKO walks toward the table and looks closely at the two pieces. Everyone
continues to watch his strange behavior.)
NIKKO: (whispers) I don't know. I think I saw something.
(Everyone remains silent and watchful.)
NIKKO: I've got to get something. I'll be right back. (to SOLOMON) I'll be
right back, I've got to get something.
(NIKKO leaves the room.)
SOLOMON: (puzzled) Where are you going?
CUT TO:
[SHORT TIME LATER]
(Back at the table, NIKKO has the two pieces plus a third piece - the Wheel of
Dharma - out in front of him. The others stand around the table watching him.)
NIKKO: Okay, we've got the Olman(?) relic, piece from the castle, and the Wheel
of Dharma. Now check this out.
(NIKKO slides the Wheel of Dharma between the two relic pieces and pushes it
toward the Castle relic. It clicks into place. The castle relic arc attaches
securely to the groove in the Wheel of Dharma.)
(Everyone's eyes widen with astonishment.)
NIKKO: A perfect fit.
(NIKKO glances up at SOLOMON who is just absorbing this. CALVIN looks
completely astonished and excited at the find.)
CALVIN: (quietly) It's real.
(SOLOMON glances at NIKKO, his jaw open with wonder at how NIKKO was able to
make the connection.)
CALVIN: It's all real.
(MAGGIE puts a hand on his shoulder and whispers in his ear.)
MAGGIE: How's your faith now, Cal?
CALVIN: (to MAGGIE) On the mend. Definitely on the mend.
(His mind already working the possibilities, CALVIN gets a thought and stands
up. He heads over to his computer.)
JULIET: Nikko, how'd you know.
NIKKO: (wondering himself) Hey. I just saw it.
(NIKKO glances over at VINCENT who is watching him carefully, a glint of pride
in his eyes.)
SOLOMON: Calvin.
(SOLOMON turns and looks at CALVIN.)
SOLOMON: Could you run a model on ...
(CALVIN is already a step ahead and working on it.)
CALVIN: ... On what this thing might look like when it's all put together?
(beat) Yeah.
(SOLOMON walks toward the back of the room where the computers are.)
SOLOMON: Put it up on the plasma.
(JULIET straightens up to get to work. She puts a hand on NIKKO'S shoulder,
then steps back to head toward the computers.)
(One by one, they all head toward the back where the computers are. NIKKO
remains at the table looking at the pieces for a moment, then he, too, also
moves toward the rest of the group.)
(Camera top view down of the relic pieces on the table. The camera slowly rises
away from the pieces.)
(Cut to: Monitor view of the projections that CALVIN is working on. On the
screen the are images of the pieces. He works fast and sits back to let the
program run. On the monitor, the program "builds" a composite of what the
finished Ring would look like.)
(Everyone sits in front of the plasma screen watching the Ring as it finishes.
It's a circle of five rings similar to the Wheel of Dharma connected by five
arcs similar to the Castle Relic. It looks exactly how NIKKO pictured it in his
mind.)
SOLOMON: The Ring of Truth.
CALVIN: (stands up) Based on the angle of the curve and the length of the
castle relic, The Ring would have ten pieces.
VINCENT: And we've got three.
NIKKO: So, what do we do now?
SOLOMON: (practically) Study these pieces. Figure out what they're trying to
tell us.
VINCENT: (smiles) And then we find the other seven pieces.
MAGGIE: This is part of the translation that we got from the Balshem(?) about
the ring.
(She pauses.)
MAGGIE: (reading) " ... So he hurled the Ring down to earth, where it broke
into many pieces -- that once reassembled will show mankind the ultimate Truth:
The Power of God."
(NIKKO puts a hand out on SOLOMON'S shoulder as he watches the monitor
silently.)
(Camera holds on the monitor and the "Ring of Truth".)
CUT TO:
[EXT. VERITAS FOUNDATION - NIGHT]
[INT. VERITAS FOUNDATION -- NIGHT]
(Camera opens on the relics on the table. NIKKO slowly circles the table,
staring at the objects on it. SOLOMON walks into the room and up to NIKKO.)
SOLOMON: Hey.
NIKKO: Hey.
(NIKKO stops walking and leans against the table. SOLOMON stands near him.
They sigh and stare at the pieces on the table.)
SOLOMON: Really something, huh?
NIKKO: Yeah.
SOLOMON: I spoke with The Benefactor. He's very pleased and pretty impressed
with you.
(SOLOMON glances proudly at NIKKO. NIKKO sighs again and straightens up, a
little frustrated by it all.)
NIKKO: I don't get it. I mean, how did I know about the Wheel, Dad? If it was
just a hallucination, how did I know?
SOLOMON: I don't know. But something happened to you in there. Maybe
something in your subconscious clicked and you figured it out, or maybe there's
no logical explanation for it.
NIKKO: I know. (softly) I know.
(SOLOMON turns to look down at the pieces again. NIKKO stares at SOLOMON.)
NIKKO: (confesses) I saw her. I saw mom, dad.
NIKKO: I could smell her. (shakes his head) It was like she was right next to
me.
(NIKKO hangs his head down and takes a deep breath to control his emotions.)
SOLOMON: Yeah, I know. I do, too. I saw her, too. Maybe it was something we
both needed to see, or ...
(He pauses, unable to complete the thought.)
SOLOMON: I don't know.
(SOLOMON sighs. He leans forward against the table and puts his head in his
hands. NIKKO watches his dad.)
SOLOMON: I mean, I don't know. I can't say for certain what's real or what's
not real anymore. Maybe she was there next to you.
(beat)
SOLOMON: And me.
(He looks away for a moment.)
SOLOMON: We've seen some amazing stuff. I mean, c'mon.
(The two share a laugh and a chuckle. Then SOLOMON gets serious as he looks at
the relics on the table.)
SOLOMON: Look. The Ring of Truth.
(His fingertips lightly trace the shape of the two interlocking pieces and on to
the Wheel of Dharma.)
SOLOMON: I like the sound of that. That sounds promising.
(NIKKO smiles and agrees.)
NIKKO: Yeah.
(NIKKO sighs and puts his head down. SOLOMON puts a hand on his shoulder.)
SOLOMON: Hey, you've got to get some sleep.
NIKKO: Yeah, I will in a little bit.
(SOLOMON stands up, ready to leave. Then he turns and looks back at NIKKO.
They've come a long way. SOLOMON wraps his arms around NIKKO from behind and
hugs him. He lets go, then kisses the back of NIKKO'S head.)
SOLOMON: I love you.
(NIKKO looks over his shoulder at his dad.)
NIKKO: I love you, too, dad.
(SOLOMON turns and leaves the room leaving NIKKO at the table to stare at the
relics.)
(The camera moves down slowly from NIKKO to the relic pieces on the table. In
the back on the edge of the table, well out of his reach is NIKKO'S green soda
can.)
[DIFFERENT ANGLE]
(NIKKO stares at the pieces and unconsciously reaches out for his drink.)
(His arm moves out, his hand opens to grab the drink. And like a large magnet,
the can slides rapidly across the table to the short distance into his open
hand.)
(NIKKO'S hand automatically closes around the can.)
(wow.)
(NIKKO turns and stares at his hand holding the can. He picks up the can and
turns it around to look at it.)
(Camera holds for a beat on NIKKO.)
(NIKKO puts the can down on the table and turns his palm up to look at his
hand.)
(Camera holds on NIKKO, then zooms into an extreme close up of his right eye.)
FADE OUT.
========================
THE END
========================
Courtesy of http://www.webphilia.com/~anthology/wnp.html
Contact the Transcriptionist at (intrepidly002@yahoo.com)
Please do not archive this transcript without permission from the
Transcriptionist.
========================
BEGINNING/TITLE CREDITS
========================
VERITAS: THE QUEST
1X13: UNTITLED (RING OF TRUTH)
[UNAIRED IN U.S.]
AIR DATE IN SOUTH AFRICA: 07/25/2003
TRANSCRIBED FROM SABC-1
Starring
ALEX CARTER as Dr. Solomon Zond
RYAN MERRIMAN as Nicholas "Nikko" Zond
COBIE SMULDERS as Juliet Droil
ERIC BALFOUR as Calvin Banks
CYNTHIA MARTELLS as Maggie (Hayes)
and
ARNOLD VOSLOO as Vincent Siminou
Created by: PATRICK MASSETT & JOHN ZINMAN
Guest Starring
MARYBETH CAMERON as Haley Cayce
ROGER REES
AIDAN DEVINE as Tollan
Producer: I.C. RAPOPORT
Co-Executive Producer: THANIA ST. JOHN
Co-Executive Producer: RICK KELLARD
Produced by: IAIN PATERSON
Executive Producer: CRAIG ZADAN
Executive Producer: NEIL MERON
Executive Producer: PATRICK MASSETT
Executive Producer: JOHN ZINMAN
Written by PATRICK MASSETT and JOHN ZINMAN
Directed by LARRY SHAW
========================
END CREDITS
========================
Massett/Zinman Productions
Storyline Entertainment
Touchstone Television
Consulting Producer: BRYAN SPICER
Co-Producers: GABRIELLE STANTON
Co-Producers: HARRY WERKSMAN, JR.
Co-Starring
GAGE KWON as Young Jacques De Molay
ADAM BROOKS as First Knight
RAYMOND O'NEILL as Jean De Molay
CARL BARLOW as Grey Man
MAX MORROW as Young Nikko
Directory of Photograph: DAVID MAXNESS, C.S.C.
Production Designer: MICHAEL NOVATNY
Edited by: DON CASSIDY
Production Manager: SUSAN MURDOCH
First Assistant Director: WOODY SIDAROUS
Second Assistant Director: ERIN WALKER
Casting by: TINA GERUSSI
Original Casting by: SHARON BIALY
Music by: JOHN NORDSTROM
Costume Designer: JOANNE HANSEN
Make-Up Artist: PATRICIA KEIGHRAN
Hair Stylist: CATHY SHIBLEY
Camera Operator: CHRIS TAMMARD
Chief Lighting Technician: MICHAEL McDONALD
Key Grip: JONATHAN BILLINGS
Set Decorators: CAROLINE GEE
Property Master: ALAN MACMINN
Script Supervisor: DUG ROTSTEIN
Special Effects Coordinator: KAZ KOBIELSKI
Stunt Coordinator: MATT BIRMAN
Art Director: KENNETH WATKINS
Location Manager: HANK MALINS
Transportation Coordinator: GREG O'HARA
Post Production Supervisor: DOUGLAS WILKINSON
Visual Fx Supervisor: JON COMPFENS
Post Production Coordinators: DEANNA STRONG
Post Production Coordinators: BENJAMIN RAPAPORT
Music Supervisors: KEVIN EDELMAN / JUSTIN GOLDBERG
Production Sound Mixer: THOMAS HIDDERLEY
Sound Editors: JILL PURDY / CRAIG HENIGHAM
Re-Recording Mixers: ALLEN ORMEROD / MIKE WAROMIUK
Music Editor: MOIRA MARGUIS
Video Post Production: Mania DSP
(c) 2003 Touchstone Television. All Rights Reserved.
Dated:09/18/2003~lky
http://www.webphilia.com/~anthology/wnp.html